


Hot Chocolate and Warm Smiles

by s1lv3r



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 12:02:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16639718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s1lv3r/pseuds/s1lv3r
Summary: Charles had wandered into the coffee shop by accident, but once he was inside, he found that he didn’t want to leave. Perhaps it was because of a certain barista by the name of Erik Lehnsherr. However, something doesn’t seem quite right.





	Hot Chocolate and Warm Smiles

It was with a clap of thunder that the skies opened, sending torrential rain pouring onto the empty streets of New York. Perhaps empty isn’t the right word, because it certainly wasn’t totally devoid of human life. There were some people roaming the streets, more specifically, Charles Xavier.

Charles wasn’t usually out this late at night. In fact, it was a miracle in itself that he was still awake. After all, he had to stick to his grandpa bedtime (Raven’s words, not his). Unfortunately, or fortunately, he had been stuck in his office grading papers for hours.

It was only a few minutes ago that he had finally finished. He had barely taken two steps out of the foyer of the school he taught at when it started to rain. How on earth was he going to get home now? There weren’t any cabs around here at this ungodly hour. 

As though god had decided to help him, a store at the building opposite his suddenly blared to life. As Charles narrowed his eyes to read the font that stated the store’s name, he quickly realised that it was a coffee shop. A coffee shop open at 2am in the morning? 

Charles was understandably confused, but he decided to make a run for it anyway. If he couldn’t get home, at least he’d be able to spend the next few hours in a toasty, warm cafe. Quite strangely, he’d never heard of or seen this cafe before, despite its proximity to his workplace. 

He managed to get there relatively unscarred, and he pushed open the door. He was greeted by the sweet scent of roasting coffee, and of baked good coming out of the oven. The bell that had rung when he’d pushed open the door seem to have alerted the staff that someone was in their establishment. 

Charles glanced around in confusion, wondering why he hadn’t ever seen or heard of such a nice place. There was a fireplace at the front of the room, and fairy lights were hung all around the ceiling. The tables scattered around were made of wood, giving the entire place a homely feel. He’s startled out of his thoughts when someone calls his name.

“Charles? Charles? Are you here with us?” Someone calls out, bringing Charles out of his revelry. His head snaps over to connect with a pair of grey-blue eyes. 

“Yes? I’m sorry. Have you been trying to get my attention for some time? I’m just really amazed by the decor of this place, and I’m wondering why I’ve never discovered this place before.” Charles replied, rubbing his hands together to bring some warmth back into them. He hadn’t noticed just how cold he was getting. 

“Do you want a warm drink? You seem to be cold. I’m Erik, by the way.” The man asks, a small smile on his face. At the thought of getting a warm drink, Charles grins and nods. “How does hot chocolate sound?” The man continues, to which Charles nods as well.

The mystery man, or Erik, turned to make Charles’s drink, leaving the latter staring at his back. Erik was rather cute, and had a really nice accent. Something European, of that Charles was sure. He looked intimidating, but Charles found that he didn’t quite mind it. 

Taking a seat at one of the nearby tables, he barely has to wait before a cup of piping hot hot chocolate was sitting in front of him.

“Here you go. Enjoy your drink!” Erik says, quite cheerily and definitely a huge contrast to the current weather.

“Thank you! Seeing that there’s no one else around, would you like to sit? We could have a nice chat. It seems as though I’m stuck here for the next few hours.” Charles quietly bemoans, much of the amusement of his companion. 

“Sure. I’d love to.” Erik nods and pulls out a chair.

“You have a wonderful accent, by the way. Where is it from?” Charles asks, taking a small sip of the hot chocolate. It tasted wonderful, just like how Charles had thought it would taste when Erik had given it to him. It tasted exactly like the one’s he had when he was a small child, and he felt rather nostalgic now.

“Germany. I lived there for a while before moving here.” Erik answers. “You’ve been here all your life?”

“Not quite. I moved here too. I was from England.” Charles replied simply.

“I see.”

Despite Charles’s initial offer of conversation, they quickly peter off into silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was definitely charged. It seemed as though Erik had a ton of questions to ask him, but didn’t quite want to break this silence that had settled between them.

Under the warm lighting of the fairy lights, Erik seemed to look… heavenly. Perhaps not quite right the word of describe a person, but it was the only one that Charles could think of. He quickly finishes the cup of hot chocolate, and Erik wordlessly brings him another. 

If it was possible, the new cup tasted even better than the previous one. Even as they sit together there in silence, Charles feels like he’s known Erik for years. There’s the feeling of comfort that Charles had only ever felt around Raven. 

Involuntarily, Charles lets up a small yawn, the many sleepless nights catching up to him. Erik looks over at him with a small smile of amusement, before standing up.

“Where are you going?” Charles blinks blearily.

“To get you a blanket, silly. Stay here and wait for me.” Erik goes to the back of the shop. Sure enough, he emerges a minute later with a blanket heaped in his hands. 

Charles can’t help but make grabby hands at the blankets in Erik’s hands, only to have Erik dump them on him and pick Charles up instead, blanket and all. Erik holds Charles in a bridesmaid carry, and Charles can’t help but snuggle into Erik’s warmth. 

Erik deposits Charles on a sofa at the back of the store and Charles slowly but surely falls asleep. But before he truly disappears into dreamland, he hears Erik say something.

“It was wonderful meeting this version of you, Charles. I love you. I wish I still had you by my side in my version of the universe. Sleep well, Charles.”

The next morning, Charles wakes up in his office, surrounded by books and papers. He blinks blearily, trying to remember how he’d ended up here when all he could remember was hot chocolate and a wonderful smile. He chalks it all up to a dream, when he remembers how the barista knew his name without ever being told, and how he’d willingly accepted to be carried by the same barista, and how the barista made hot chocolate just the way he loved it. 

Slowly but surely, Charles forgot all about the visit, only the feeling of warmth remaining with him.

**Author's Note:**

> another pathetic story lol. sorry i'm feeling down :( i'll write better soon, I promise.


End file.
